Slots Machines Tips

Basic Slot Machine Terms

Terms are use in order for players to have a common understanding about a certain game. Here are some basic slot terms to help you get more enjoyment out of this very popular gambling game.

Bonus - This is a very unique element in the concept of the slots. This usually happens during the appearance of different winning symbol combinations. In bonuses, players are given item selections that appears on the screen from where they need to choose from.

While the player selects an item, numbers of credit are displayed and given as an award. Most bonus features use mechanical devices, like a spinning wheel, usually functions together with bonus features to show the amount of credits won.

Candle - Candle are lights use to indicate a problem that operators have with their slot machine and need help from management.

Carousel - The term is used to describe machines that are arranged in a circle formation.

Coin hopper - These are containers where coins are placed to be used in case of payouts. Hoppers are devices used to rotate coins to be placed in the tray especially when players already want to collect their credits. When the given coin credit capacity of the machine is achieved, excess coins are directed to drop-in containers called drop buckets or boxes.

Credit meter - Credit meters are indicators used to show the number of credits or the value of winnings within the machine being played.

Drop bucket or drop box - These are containers where coins are dropped. It is usually found on the base of the machine. Commonly, buckets are being used for machines that pay in small denominations and usually for bigger denominations a drop box is used.

Drop buckets don't have a lid or cover compared to drop boxes which contain hinges for its lid where locks are placed. Coins from these buckets and boxes are counted based from the casino's schedule.

EGM - An abbreviation for "Electronic Gaming Machine"

Hand pay - These are payouts from attendants handling the machines not from the machine itself. Hand pays are made if the value of the credit exceeded the capacity allotted by certain slot machine operators. Typically, the capacity allotted is leveled up to the time where taxes are needed to be deducted by the operators. In situations like "short pays" a hand pay can also be implemented.

Hopper fill slip - These are documents where coin replenishment were recorded before coin hoppers gets empty after releasing many payouts to users. These slips indicate the value of coins refilled to the coin hoppers, together with the signatures of involved attendants, date, and information such as location and slot machine number.

Low Level or Slant Top - These are stools you can use so that you can play the game sitting down. But there are also slot machines being played where it is necessary for you stand called upright or stand up slot machines

Pay line - These are lines that run across a symbol from each reel, where winning symbol combinations are determined. Old versions of these machines typically contain 9 lines, and a video slot machine may contain up to fifty pay lines.

Rollup - Is an event or drama where sound effects are used during the counting of credits won.

Short pay - Pertains to a situation where the slot machine being played was not able to provide the exact winnings of a player, upon request. This usually happens when the coin hopper got depleted from making previous payouts. Then a hand pay is done when such situations happen

Tilt - These are switches usually found in old versions of slots. New versions of slot machines do not have such switches. But the tilt is still used to describe any kind of failure or malfunction the machine experienced.

Theoretical Hold Worksheet - These are documents from manufactures of these machines, which show possible percentages of the machine's capacity in holding adequate amount of coins. Certain documents also shows the settings used on reel strips, schedule of payouts, up to how many coins are allowed in playing, how many reels are used and all other information about the machine being used.

Weight count - This is a term used by Americans where coins and tokens are weighed in by a counting team to know its equal dollar value.